PRESS RELEASE : More than 30 arrests in crackdown on Common Travel Area abuse [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 September 2024.

A 3-day crackdown against people-smuggling gangs saw 31 arrests.

A Home Office crackdown against people-smuggling gangs and people exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA) has led to the arrest of 31 people in multiple locations across the UK.

As the government steps up its pursuit against the criminal groups abusing our borders on all fronts, Immigration Enforcement teams, alongside UK police forces and international partners, descended on locations in the UK including Belfast, Scotland, Liverpool and Luton as part of a 3-day operation.

Checks were conducted at major ports, airports, and road networks across the country, targeting illegal migration and disrupting smuggling routes. Ruthless criminal gangs, operating both in the UK and internationally, often exploit vulnerable migrants, charging them thousands of pounds to enter the UK illegally, luring them with false promises of a better life.

During the operation, £400,000 of criminal cash and 10 fraudulent identity documents were seized. These documents, which are critical tools used by people-smuggling gangs, enable them to evade immigration controls. Created by criminal networks, counterfeit documents allow migrants to bypass border checks, trapping vulnerable people in further illegal activities. By exploiting these people, the gangs not only profit but also place them at risk of severe legal and personal consequences.

The multi-agency operation was led by Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations team in Northern Ireland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces, and international partners.

This operation is part of a national effort to stop irregular migration and human trafficking at key entry points across the UK, as the government works to tackle people-smuggling gangs and bring those exploiting vulnerable people to justice.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said:

This government will not stand by as criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risking their lives and giving them false hopes of a better life in the UK. Driven by greed, these gangs have no regard for human life or safety, charging outrageous fees, preying on those desperate to escape hardship, and forcing them into illegal and dangerous situations.

We are taking the fight to them on all fronts under the leadership of our new Border Security Commander. Dismantling the business models of these gangs does not just apply to the small boats trade – we are also stamping out other routes into the UK to bring them to justice and slash their profits.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement Inspector, Jonathan Evans, said:

This operation has been a huge success and sends a clear message that the smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious consequences.

We are taking action day in, day out to ensure we stay a step ahead of these criminal groups, disrupting them at the earliest possible stage. We will continue working relentlessly to ensure no one abuses the Common Travel Area or the UK’s borders.

I’m incredibly proud of our teams across the country, as well as our partners from the police, the National Crime Agency, and international counterparts, for their hard work and collaboration in carrying out this important operation.